Survival of the Jumpiest
by Jenn1984
Summary: Shawn and Gus get trapped in an elevator.


This story was written for Taylor, a friend. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Psych.

* * *

It seemed like a good idea at the time, Shawn would argue. Gus was sure of it.

"We won't be in here forever, buddy."

How did he always let Shawn talk him into these things?

"This reminds me of the time when we were playing spin the bottle over at Missy Handler's house."

Stuck in an elevator for over twenty minutes. _This _was how Gus had to spend his Thursday afternoon.

"Or remember that time we locked ourselves in your dad's outdoor freezer?"

Help was on the way (he was almost positive), but it didn't change the fact that the walls seemed to be moving closer and closer with every ridiculous memory Shawn came up with.

"Then there was the time where we went over to…"

Gus interrupted. "You know what this reminds me of, Shawn?" he said harshly. "This reminds me of the time you got us stuck in an elevator."

Shawn's gaze turned thoughtful. "I don't remember that one. Was it before or after the time we dressed you up in your mom's blue dress and sent you into the girls' locker room to see if they really did have a soda fountain in five delicious flavors?"

"Shawn, I swear to God-" Gus began, and he thought he could feel the steam rising off his cheeks.

"Oh, come on, Gus!" Shawn practically growled in exasperation. "How was I supposed to know there would be a freak power outage mere seconds after we stepped into the elevator? I don't admit this often, but even I'm not that good."

And Gus had to admit that Shawn had a point. But he only admitted it to himself.

Shawn stood up and started pacing the small length of the elevator. "Dude, that guy was fast."

Gus was getting sick. "Shawn," he said through clenched teeth.

"He was on _fire_!"

"Shawn…"

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone go that far, that quick-"

"SHAWN!"

Shawn stopped and turned to Gus, who was holding a hand over his mouth.

"You know I get motion sickness," Gus muttered.

"Right. Sorry, buddy." Shawn went to the opposite side of the elevator and sat down. "Did you really think we could outrun him?"

Gus slid down the wall of the elevator and felt it shake underneath him. His stomach jumped. "For your information, I've been working out more and more lately. I could've taken him," he stated proudly.

Shawn snorted. "Oh right, you could've taken a professional athlete. That dude runs marathons for a living!"

"Please, Shawn," Gus said and pulled up his pant leg. "These calves were practically carved out of marble." He flexed his lower leg.

Shawn sighed. "And you know I fully support that, but let's get real here. He was twice our size. Horizontally _and _vertically."

Again, Gus knew Shawn had a point. No matter how incredible his lower legs really were, they wouldn't have caught up to their criminal.

"So we just wait here," Gus said, more to himself than to Shawn.

Shawn crawled over to Gus' side, shaking the elevator as he did. Gus put a hand over his queasy stomach as Shawn leaned against the wall next to him. "We could play 20 questions."

Gus considered this. It _would _help pass the time…

()~()~()~()~()

Jamie Shepherd had come into Gus and Shawn's sixth grade math class as a transfer student from somewhere in Arizona. Nobody had paid her any attention or had gone out of their way to be nice to her, and after a week she was all but forgotten; just another face at the back of the classroom.

But Gus had known there was something special about her when she walked into that classroom. He never told Shawn, though, because Shawn made a point of always making fun of her glasses, and Gus didn't want his best friend to think he had a crush on a nerd.

To this day, Gus was positive he had kept this a secret from Shawn.

"How about your sixth grade crush?" Shawn asked. He was sprawled out on the floor of the elevator throwing jellybeans into the air, trying to catch them in his mouth.

Gus tilted his head. "How do you know I had a crush on anybody?"

Shawn shrugged. "I know you liked _somebody_. I just don't know _who_."

"Well," Gus said, pulling a loose thread from his pant leg, "You can try. But you'll never guess who it was."

"Try me."

The two locked eyes and Gus frowned. "Fine," he said curtly.

Shawn sat up without breaking eye contact. "Dark hair."

"No."

"Tall."

"Yes."

"Blue eyes?"

"No."

"Glasses?"

Gus stopped short. A little drop of sweat was beading down his spine.

"No," he lied.

Shawn smirked a little and leaned forward. "Jamie Shepherd."

A lump rose in Gus' throat. "What?" he huffed. "I don't even remember who that is." Another huff.

"Whatever," Shawn said, lying back down. "I knew you liked her as soon as Mrs. Reeve introduced her."

Gus' shoulders sagged. "So what if I liked her? She had nice hair."

"She was pretty," Shawn agreed.

Gus snapped back up. "Wait, you were always making fun of her!"

"I didn't want you to ask her to the spring dance. I knew you would, and then where would that put me Friday night?" Shawn asked.

"Shawn…" Gus growled, and Shawn put his hands up defensively.

"Now wait a minute, Gus," he began as the two rose from the floor. "If I remember correctly, you were the millionth customer at the arcade that night and won free games for a year!"

But Gus didn't care about that right now. He just found out Shawn had duped him for the umpteenth time.

"You know she's a successful record producer in Los Angeles now, right?" Gus yelled, his voice echoing off the steel walls of the elevator.

Shawn jumped back and Gus had to lean against the wall when his stomach flipped yet again. "It was sixth grade! It never would have lasted! But your Missile Command high score is _still _number one!"

Gus couldn't help it, he lunged for his best friend's throat. There was a brief flurry motion, Gus' hands reaching to choke the air out of Shawn, Shawn becoming suddenly octopus-like in the amount of arms he seemed to possess fending Gus off.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA," Shawn suddenly screamed, and the sound of it was so startling Gus reflexively stopped. Shawn hissed. He whispered, "Did you hear that?"

Gus narrowed his eyes. "Hear _what_, Shawn? The sound of you getting a beat down?"

"No," Shawn said impatiently. "Well, yes, actually, but that other sound - didn't you feel it, too?"

"What are you talking about?"

Shawn glanced up. The expression on his face was an uncustomary shade of serious. "Gus," he said, and his voice was too calm. "Do you remember that thing about elevators and cables? How if they hit the ground, people inside die?"

Gus swallowed thickly. "Uh huh," he said.

"We're about to become those people."

The color in Gus' face drained completely, he could feel it. Shawn was right; he had heard something.

"Oh God, what if the cables snap?!" he whispered, looking up. "Do you think we're moving?"

Shawn just shook his head. "I don't know. But I heard if you jump right as the elevator hits the ground, you don't die."

"Oh God," Gus muttered again. The elevator was spinning. "I think we're falling!" he cried, braced against the back wall.

"Quick!" Shawn yelled. "Let's practice!" He moved to the middle of the elevator. "1, 2, 3 JUMP!" And Gus jumped.

"1, 2, 3 JUMP!" Shawn called again, and Gus _jumped _again. He was whimpering, his eyes squeezed shut. He jumped one more time.

Shawn slapped a hand on his shoulder. "Dude, awesome jumping." And he smiled. Gus looked suspicious.

"You're lying to me," he said calmly.

Shawn shrugged. "So what if I am? You never…OH MY GOD, DID YOU HEAR THAT? GUS, JUMP NOW! JUMP JUMP JUMP!"

Gus screamed and began to jump. He jumped with all his might, screaming and flailing his arms as hard as he could.

After a few long seconds passed, through his prayers and sobs, he thought he heard Shawn chuckling. Gus stopped his jumping and opened his eyes to see Shawn on the floor, rolling around and laughing.

"SHAWN!"

"You should have seen your face!" Shawn howled as he doubled over.

Gus was no longer just angry. He was _seething_.

"I'm going to KILL YOU, SHAWN!" he shouted and lunged.

Shawn rolled away. "Wait! Gus! It was a harmless exercise! Gus!"

"Spencer?"

The two stopped, Gus' hand seconds away from pulling Shawn's hair out.

"Lassie?" Shawn called in a strained voice.

Then they heard Juliet's voice. "Shawn? We're going to get you guys out of there in just a minute, all right?"

Gus sagged back, out of breath. Maybe he wouldn't have to murder Shawn just yet.

Shawn, also breathing heavily, leaned back against the wall with Gus. "Jerk chicken?" he asked calmly.

Gus just glared.

Shawn sighed. "I'll pay." He held up a hopeful fist.

Just as the crowbar peeked through the doors of the elevator, Gus caved and knocked his friend's fist. "Fine. But you're buying lunch tomorrow, too."


End file.
